cave (definition)

A hollow place in the earth, either natural or artificial; a subterraneous cavity; a cavern; a den.

2.

Any hollow place, or part; a cavity. [Obs.] "The cave of the ear." Bacon.

Cave bear (Zoöl.), a very large fossil bear (Ursus spelæus) similar to the grizzly bear, but large; common in European caves. --Cave dweller, a savage of prehistoric times whose dwelling place was a cave. Tylor. --Cave hyena (Zoöl.), a fossil hyena found abundanty in British caves, now usually regarded as a large variety of the living African spotted hyena. --Cave lion (Zoöl.), a fossil lion found in the caves of Europe, believed to be a large variety of the African lion. --Bone cave. See under Bone.